Discussion: Bundle MagicMirror package to distribute more easily

Summary

Electron provides a nice way to produce executables and packages for modules such as MagicMirror. Some benefits this would provide to users wanting to install MagicMirror are listed below.

Benefits

• Faster install time (no need to npm install)
  • Right now the current install times are ~10 mins on RPi3 and ~25 mins on RPi2
• More user friendly being a bundled “executable” users can install and run out of the box

Changes required

• Needs to reference external config file
• 3rd party modules folder to be referenced externally
• Add helper commands to install modules more easily?

Discussion

I know most of the current user base is more advanced and they know how to use git and whatnot but going forward into the broader community where users don’t know how to pull down the latest changes or fetch modules into the module folder would be more friendly to them.

I feel this would increase the adoption rate significantly and lower the barrier to entry for the MagicMirror space which would allow a vast number of users to enter it more easily.

Let me know your thoughts and the pros and cons that come with it.

[MichMich]

@ConnorChristie I appreciate your suggestion.

The only issue I have with it, is that it might make the project a bit overcomplicated. The reason I say this, is because I started this project as an ultimate starter project for Raspberry Pi enthousiasts. As a matter of fact, for most of the contributors, the MagicMirror project is the first open source project they ever contributed to. This is one of the reasons why the MagicMirror project is featured in several RasPi magazines.

The project has a lot of opportunities for improvement. We could use a powerful framework like Vue to ramp up the development speed. We could use SASS for better/easier css implementations. We could make it an NPM installable package. And as you say, we could bundle it up. The big downside of of of these changes is that it overcomplicates things: a user no longer will be able to open just one file and make a small modification and see how it works out.

Of course, a bundled version can be complimentary to the regular un-bundled version. And I’m sure a lot of (new) users will opt for the bundled version. But this means those users won’t be motivated to take a peek under the hood. They will just remain ‘users’. They won’t become contributors, and worse: they won’t be motivated to take their first steps in software development.

And to be honest: motivating curious users to step out of their comfort zone and take those first steps is what drives me in this project. Therefor my ultimate goal is this project is to keep it as accessible as possible.

Note: I’m aware this explanation should probably be part of some manifesto within the project. I’ll put it on my TODO list. All the way at the bottom. 😉

[MichMich]

I’n not seeing this discussion going anyway. I made my point why I personally am not going to integrate it. Not saying I won’t accept any PR’s. But for now I close this issue. This discussion is better suited on the forum.